


A Dagger for You

by Fenyatta



Series: Inquisitor's Nocturne [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Awkward Cullen, F/M, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, in which i debut on AO3, some dumb cute fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 16:27:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6016441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenyatta/pseuds/Fenyatta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Small ficlet of fluff between Commander Cullen and Inquisitor Sa'lyn, ft. the grumpy and irritable sister Farilis.</p><p>“I don’t know why you’re asking me, Commander.”</p><p>(OLD, to be re-written.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Dagger for You

**Author's Note:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ I'll post more escapades explaining Farilis' and Sa'lyn's backgrounds in the future, but for now I wanted to share my V-day inspired fic. Pluuus it's my first time posting here on AO3, so I hope you enjoy! Not beta'd.

“I don’t know why you’re asking me, _Commander_.”

 Cullen sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew this was a bad idea. He never did agree with Sa’lyn’s sister, and going to her for advice seemed to have been his worst decision yet. He replied in a slightly irritated tone, “She is your sister, you know her better than anyone.”

 Farilis refused to look away from her book to drive him further. “Apparently I don’t know her well enough if she’s with _you_.”

 “I just want to know if there is anything she might want as a gift. She doesn’t come to me if she wants something… personal,” he hesitated and sighed. “Farilis, I do not seek to antagonise you. I want what is best for the Inquisitor.”

 The elven apostate snorted and looked up from her book. “I want what is best for Sa’lyn as well. Otherwise I would be back in the Free Marches. However, I don’t see how getting her something would improve your relations with her. Unless…” Farilis paused and furrowed her eyebrows, standing up suddenly as she grew tense. “You are not wedding my sister.”

 “W-what,” he sputtered out, growing pale. “I’m not... we haven’t… I have no intentions on proposing to Sa’lyn!” His cheeks flushed as he scowled, flustered. While he didn’t object to the thought of wedding the Inquisitor, the war had not yet concluded with Corypheus and he wouldn’t want to put her into a position when they had no idea what would happen during the final battle.

 Farilis shoved a finger into his chest, speaking in a low tone. “You are never wedding my sister if I have a say about it. It’s enough that you two are even intimate.”  
  
Cullen was certainly taken aback by her attitude. He sighed and pushed her hand away. He had no time to deal with the Inquisitor’s temperamental sister. “Just tell me something she would want, and I’ll leave.”  
  
Farilis glared at him for a significant time, before humoring him. “She’s been complaining that one of her daggers is dull and that she’s been meaning to replace it completely,” she huffed and grasped her book. “She also enjoys any kind of flower. Now leave me and don’t come back.”

 ---

 For the Inquisitor, another day meant another flock of nobles to appease in Skyhold. Sa’lyn trudged up to her Quarters with the intent of disrobing herself and promptly falling into a dreamless sleep just to get away from the masses of Orlesians nobles vying for her attention. Her leather boots echoed up the steps, and drug her hand across the wall, feeling the cracks between the bricks. That’s all she needed; a long rest.

 A yawn emerged from the back of her throat as she made her way to the door, but she paused. It was cracked with the warm glow of candle-light pouring from the crack. She always noted to blow out her candles and close her door when she left her room, so it must have been Cullen. He was the only one she tolerated being in her room when she was not present. She pushed open the door and closed it behind her, making it audible enough for him to note her presence.

 A muffled thump, along with a soft “Maker’s Breath!” came from the loft, and she laughed softly. Climbing up the final flight of stairs, she called out playfully. “Am I not supposed to be up here?”  
  
“No! I mean, uh, you’re allowed into your own room,” he answered tentatively. “Just, don’t look. Not yet.”  
  
Sa’lyn smirked and dramatically put her gloved hands over her eyes, effectively blocking her vision as she climbed the final steps. “Fine, I’m not looking. Although I will need you to guide me to the bed; I don’t want to trip.”

The soft sound of feet hitting the floor indicated that he was coming towards her, and she couldn’t help but smile as he gently put his hands on her shoulders. He turned her towards the direction of the bed and led her carefully, finally sitting her down and taking her hands into his. He kissed the back of her hand and she grinned, looking up at him. He smiled back, his hesitance causing her concern. “Is something wrong,” she asked softly with a frown.  
  
“Nothing, nothing’s wrong,” he said, sharper than he possibly intended as he softened immediately. “Just, wait here? I have something for you.”

He released her hands as color rose to her cheeks. She put one hand on her knee and cupped her cheek, sighing softly as she stared into the wall, not bothering to watch him. “Cullen, you don’t have to get me anything. Your company is enough.”  
  
He ignored her. “I spoke with your sister-”  
  
She cut him off, obviously surprised. “You spoke with Farilis? And she didn’t blow off a door in retaliation?”  
  
Cullen laughed softly behind her. “No, we somehow managed to be reasonable.” He moved back towards her and sat beside her, handing her a sealed box.

Sa’lyn took it gingerly and ran her gloved hand over it, giving him a questioning look. “What is it?”

He didn’t reply and nodded to the gift, in which she promptly opened it. She took great care as to not damage anything inside of it, and she hesitated. It wasn’t sealed very well, but just enough to conceal the contents. When she removed the top, she stopped. It was a dagger with a blade that reflected her face. It was sharp to a point from what she could see; far sharper than any one of hers had been in months. It rested upon several wildflowers, most notably daisies that nearly poured out of the box.

“Flowers and… a dagger? Hopefully this isn’t some joke where you turn out to be an assassin, Cullen. I’m afraid you’re not agile enough.”  
  
“Your sister had said you wanted a new one…”  
  
“Oh,” she gasped softly, feeling a bit foolish. She had been complaining to Farilis about one of her current ones; she just hadn’t had enough time to inquire about a new one since she had been tied up with nobility dealings. She looked up to him, the corners of her lips turned up into a smile. “I… Thank you, Cullen. This means a lot to me.”  
  
“She also said you liked flowers, so… I gave you flowers.”  
  
Sa’lyn’s face grew hot out of embarrassment, looking away as she continued. Of course she would say that. While she didn’t approve of her relationship with Cullen, she would not get involved any more than she had been already. She was certainly not bashful, but she was not usually this open with people, especially her lover. She could tell he was a little nervous himself, so she looked upwards at to him, grinning sheepishly.  
  
“I do indeed like flowers.” She said as she set the gift to the side. She pulled her knees onto the bed and sat on her heels, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek. He returned the kiss gently, and Sa’lyn rested her forehead against his. “I’m afraid I haven’t gotten you anything.”  
  
The edge of his mouth twitched upwards into a smile. “Your company is enough,” he echoed her words back to her.

\---

If Cullen had known the reason why Sa’lyn liked flowers, he would have brought her more. He was laid out on her bed watching her as she very quickly, and very simply, transformed the flowers into complex chains. She had adorned herself with a crown and had weaved several into his own hair (much to his disapproval, although he did not object). She was currently focused on a series of rings with the smaller flowers, deft hands weaving the stems with accuracy and caution. Green eyes were zoned in on a particularly stubborn stem, but it was not long before the elven woman examined the piece out of pride.

Sa’lyn glanced towards his hand and reached for it, giving him a coy grin. “May I have your hand, my good ser?”

He laughed and presented it to her, and she slipped the ring onto his smallest finger. She pressed a light kiss to the ring and set his hand down again with her’s on top of his. Their eyes met, and he couldn’t help but smile. She returned it and resumed her jewelry making, taking more flowers into her lap.

“Farilis said I’m not permitted to wed you,” he said suddenly, and then he hesitated. “But that is, if you ever _wanted_ be married….”

Sa’lyn raised an eyebrow, but did not look away from her lap. “Farilis does not dictate who I marry. If I want to marry you, then I will marry you.” She paused, realising what she said as she turned to him, eyes boring into his. “Cullen, are you…”

He froze, shaking his head sharply. “I’m not; we don’t know what will happen until the war is over. I didn’t want to impose…”, he rambled as his voice died away. She smiled softly as she leant over him to press a gentle kiss to his cheek.  
  
“Cullen,” she whispered softly to him, with a hint of giddiness in her voice, “I promise myself to you regardless.”  
  
The weight of her words struck with him. He swallowed dryly and gave her a small smile, replying softly, “And I with you.”


End file.
